The new Spider-Man, Miles Morales, has been the toast of the comics world ever since he stepped into the big-boy suit for the first time. But now that the wall-crawler has become a real-life sensation, movie studios are looking to cash in on the trend. One of the biggest productions of the year is The Amazing Spider-Man, an adaptation of the beloved comic-book series of the same name. Set in New York City, the film stars Spider-Man’s old friend and mentor, Professor Miles Warren, who has been kidnapped by the Green Goblin. The film also stars Donald Glover as the Goblin, whose father created Spider-Man, and Laura Harring as Spider-Man’s ally, Doctor Octopus.’
With a staggering number of fans already on board, the film could prove to be a major box-office hit. As a result, many other comic book heroes have found themselves on the big-screen in recent years, including Black Widow and The Dark Knight (recently adapted from Mark Millar’s excellent comic book series of the same name). The Amazing Spider-Man is the first in what may be a whole wave of superhero movies to hit the big screen. But with Spider-Man’s popularity comes new challenges. The character has become so popular that he’s now a target for child-murderers and fanatics who want to do harm. To combat this, Marvel and Sony have introduced a number of security measures into the film adaptation. Most notably, they’ve given Spider-Man a solo movie to help him understand his new-found independence. Now that the wall-crawler is out there on his own, it’s time for us to step into his shoes and see what it’s like to be a real-life Spider-Man. Let’s take a look at how well the Spider-Man games hold up on the big screen and the impact that they’ve had on the character’s pop-culture cachet.
How Does The Game Stack Up?
To find out how the Playstation 4 and Xbox One’s Spider-Man games hold up on the big screen, I decided to bring them to life with live-action video-game footage. So I got myself a fancy-ass Sony Playstation 4 and loaded up the first game, which happened to be the original Spider-Man. I then proceeded to beat the holy hell out of the thing.
First, let’s talk about the visuals. The 1080p resolution and 3D effect look stunning and make for a great visual experience. Even when things get bloody, as they often do in a Spider-Man game, the graphics hold up well. The sense of scale is also remarkable; it’s easy to feel like you’re in the middle of an epic battle when everything feels perfect up-close-and-personal. And I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. The sound design is also top-notch and perfectly matches the mood of the game. There’s also a wonderful sense of humor throughout the game, which makes it a lot of fun to play. So on the gameplay end, the game is superb.
Why Is It Important To Play The Game?
As a diehard Spider-Man fan, the main reason I wanted to play these games was to experience the story from the perspective of the wall-crawler. Being able to play as Spider-Man makes it much easier for me to understand his motives and the world he inhabits. As a side effect, I also get to experience some fantastic gaming technology and see how it all translates into a video game. One of the best things about the Spider-Man games is that they present a grounded and complete story that you completely understand and have complete control over.
How Has This Affected The Character?
Due to the medium, I was able to play as many different characters as I wanted within the game. So I got to see how each one interacted with and affected the story. One of the most interesting characters to play as is Harley Quinn. As the game opens, you play as a comical-crime-fighting-spider-man who has to save the city by capturing villains and bringing them to justice. As the game progresses, you slowly transform into the scarier and scarier incarnation of the character. At one point, you even get to fight alongside of the Joker, whose laugh-out-loud-humor and absurd antics are on display for the entire game. The gameplay becomes a lot more challenging as you progress, but the character growth and world-building is incredible to behold.
The Future Of The Character
With all the movies and games in the pipeline, it would be a shame to see Spidey’s pop-culture cachet diminish. As well as bringing us closer to the wall-crawler, these games have helped to highlight the character’s versatility and the amazing stories that continue to evolve as a direct effect of his exploits. For my money, the Playstation 4 and Xbox One’s Spider-Man games were some of the best video games I’ve played in years (and that’s really saying something). If you’re a super-hero movie buff or just want to experience one of the most iconic tales in pop culture from a different perspective, then I highly recommend you give the games a go.